


The Little Multiverse

by Fellusion



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Doodle Sphere, Gen, Ink is a contemplating motherfucker, character exploration, i honestly have no idea what to tag this as, outertale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23959132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fellusion/pseuds/Fellusion
Summary: If there was anything Ink knew, it was that he was an expert in his multiverse. The streets and addresses of every single building? Easy. The names, personalities, and birthdays of every individual? Memorized. Ink knew his multiverse down to even the smallest detail. That would be impressive, if not for the fact that there were only 7 universes to its name.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	The Little Multiverse

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by that alternate multiverse shown in Harrish6's "Healing What Has Been Broken," where there is only a small, finite number of universes within it. I wanted to expand upon that idea, from Ink's perspective.
> 
> For now this is a oneshot, but maybe at some point I might write a few more chapters...?

The multiverse has always felt so finite. The worlds themselves were theoretically limitless, of course, with the inclusion of the planets and solar systems and galaxies. But in the grand scheme of things, what was another billion or so empty rocks going to do other than float around in the same patterns, year after year?

Ink found himself staring up at the stars from Outertale, watching that same pattern, the stars wiping across the sky slowly but surely. Though, it would be more accurate to say that the planet was rotating to accommodate for the unfathomable expanse of space.

He reached a hand out as if to grasp it all in his palm. Squeezed his hand around its all encompassing void to pull something new out of it. His hand flopped to the rocky surface of the island he lay on, just as empty as before. He sighed, his breath wispy as it crystallized into a fine powder. It was cold, wasn't it? He realized he was shivering.

That was an easy fix. He pulled out his brush, sitting up for a moment and splashing down some paint onto the ground where he was laying, falling back into the puddle. Away from the cold, away from the dark expanses of the universe, and back into somewhere smaller, more familiar. He slipped his brush on his back and stood tall with a smile.

The Doodle Sphere. It was warm and bright, though compared to a place like Outertale, it was tiny. It had a funny way of making itself look infinite, though. It looped in on itself without end, always bringing you right back to where you started regardless of your direction. Due to a very enthusiastic evening, he had eventually deduced the size of the Doodle Sphere to be about 1 mile in diameter.

And it was all his.

The various floating islands led to places he was very accustomed to. People he'd met a thousand times. It seemed like the worlds were as immortal as he, no resets no routes. Just calm faces and a warm welcome. He hopped around the islands for a few minutes, checking every nook and cranny for any changes. He knew nothing ever changed, he'd memorized the seven islands so well by now that if even a blade of grass was out of place, he would know. Sitting down at the edge of one of the islands, he looked off into the distance and giggled as, a bit further away, he could see himself. He waved his arms all around, watching the other figure flail just as wildly. After a few moments of entertainment, his laughter died down, his smile more wistful as he watched the islands around him.

These were the types of things he could do.

This was all he could do.

The friendly faces, the welcoming homes, they only filled the gaps so much. He looked down at his sash, at his vials. He didn't have the most refined palette of colors imaginable. Each universe is meant to carry one emotion, one to represent the feelings of the creator when they first created their world. However, there was some overlap. Three of the seven universes were created with feelings of joy. Another three with guilt and sadness. And the last one? He... Couldn't grasp it. He's tried for years to get a drop from that world and yet... Nothing. Empty as he was.

Well, that wasn't all true. The world itself was brimming with life. However, it was as if the creator simply felt nothing for their creation. Not even a drip of passion left over.

He sighed, watching the paint swirl within his vials. The various hues of blue and yellow were enough to keep him sane, he thanked the stars that there was at least a balance of negativity and positivity in his palette. Though when the palette was just two colors, that was rather simple.

He looked over to the biggest island. The Classic timeline was hosting a bit of a party later that day. They invited him and the inhabitants of the other universes to join, as Sans warned there would be "so much spaghetti that it would threaten the very fabric of space-time!"

Sounded fun. Maybe he should join. He jumped off of the island he sat on, falling down to a much flatter platform below. This island was one of the smallest. After all, it didn't have a universe attached to it. He eyed the tree planted strongly on the island as well as the house that sat next to it, humbly small. He pranced over gingerly, knocking on the door before opening it. Force of habit. He slid inside after no response.

Home sweet home. If organized chaos was a place, this would be it. Hundreds of weird knick knacks all over the place, papers with words and drawings strewn about and pinned on walls. He kept just about everything, letters, flyers, you name it. He enjoyed the clutter, it made him feel safe. He navigated the mess with learned skill, making his way into the crammed hallway.

The clutter slowly gave way to something a bit more manageable as he traversed the narrow pathway. With a smile, he approached the lone door at the end of the hall and slowly opened the door.

Into a completely white room. Walls, floor, ceiling, all white. No room for furniture or miscellaneous objects like in the rest of his house. Here, he could sit and think.

Personally, he found the white comforting. It reminded him of a simpler time, when he didn't need to feel happy or sad, when he didn't need to speak to people or even comprehend words. When he could just let time pass him by without a second thought.

This was the closest he could get to that feeling of freedom. Letting his mind slow down for a moment and feel at ease with the world.

He wished everything was that simple. The multiverse was so small, so limited. He knew everyone, he'd seen everything. The others tried their best to keep his spirits and hopes up, but the multiverse hadn't seen a new universe since...

Since the universe with no feeling. The one that denied him of feeling.

He shut the door behind him, plopping down in the middle of the room. The walls seemed to fall away as he closed his eyes.

He loved the worlds that were there. He really did. As much as he could. But there was something so... Infuriating about having so little. If the creators were real, and they are stars be damned, shouldn't they be making more? Was he just unlucky and the creators that governed his multiverse decided to abandon it? Decided that seven was enough?

He frowned. He was tired of it all. He wanted something new, something exciting. He wished for something to flip the entire multiverse upside down.

He shook his head. No, that was asking for too much. He would be devastated to find the multiverse in such a state. If there was one thing worse than the boredom, it was having everything he'd ever known ripped away from him.

His eyes snapped open. Speaking of which! He jumped up, giving the room one more cursory glance before heading back out to his wonderfully packed living room. He dug around a few things before finally pulling out a card. Wait, not that card, that was last year's birthday card. Where was it...

After a few minutes he finally pulled out the newer card. At least, he had to assume it was newer because it wasn't damaged or stained like the others were. He opened it up.

"hey ink,

we know you haven't been feeling the greatest recently so we though we'd host a nice big potluck to bring the multiverse family together again. it hasn't been this big in a while, even uncle Gaster is bringing something.

so please, drop by. it'll be tonight at the big auditorium. tonight my time, not the standard multiverse time, just uh, set an alarm or something. also, i would've texted you but papyrus told me it'd be more courteous to send a letter.

sans."

He folded it back up with a snort, placing it on the pile of cards he had accumulated over the years. He presumed it was getting dark somewhat soon, if his internal timekeeping clock had anything to say about it. He looked over to the back wall, staring at the eight clocks on the wall, all displaying different times. The text underneath was too far away to read, but Ink was well acquainted with the placement of the clocks to know which universe's clock he was looking at.

Definitely afternoon in Sans' timeline right now. He readied his brush, pulling it from his back and slashing it on the ground. Quickly, he hopped into the puddle, popping out into a brightly lit walkway a block away from the auditorium.

Tucking his brush away against his back, he briskly walked towards the building, a giddy feeling bubbling up into his throat.

A welcome distraction from his constant existential brooding. His gait increased in speed as he saw the bright, colorful lights, and saw Sans standing on the sidewalk holding a comedically large sign.

Maybe they'll have those beer battered onion rings. God, he loved those.


End file.
